Upgrade is
one of those movies you just have to see. The way it builds up to its
unexpected ending is pure cinematic magic. To me, it’s one of the best movies
written by Leigh Whannell so far. If you haven’t heard of him, maybe you’re not
into the Saw franchise. I’m not a huge fan either, but after seeing
one of those movies, I learned he was the mastermind behind them—and also
behind the Insidious supernatural horror series. In Upgrade,
Whannell both wrote and directed the film, and the screenplay is nothing short
of epic.
The movie plays
with your expectations. For about three-quarters of it, you can guess what’s
going to happen—but then it flips on you. Just when you think you’ve figured it
out again, it flips once more. The magic lies in the fact that even when you
think you know what’s coming, you’re still gripped and compelled to see it
through. That’s the brilliance of Whannell’s writing.
Upgrade is
a cyberpunk action body horror film, so be warned: there are some gruesome
scenes. The plot is set in the future, where everything is controlled by
computers. The protagonist, Grey, is a man out of sync with the times. He
prefers doing things with his hands, even though most of the world relies on
automation. We meet his wife, and he introduces her to a client while returning
a refurbished car. She’s surprised to learn the client is a renowned tech
innovator who works for a rival company.
On their way
home, their self-driving car malfunctions and takes them to a deserted area.
There, Grey’s wife is killed, and he’s shot in the neck, leaving him a
quadriplegic. Under the care of his mother, Grey attempts suicide but fails.
The tech innovator then offers him a solution: a chip called STEM, implanted at
the base of his skull, which will restore his ability to move.
The chip not
only gives Grey back control of his limbs but also makes him stronger and
faster. It also talks to him and seems to have its own agenda—helping him solve
his wife’s murder.
The movie was a financial success, partly because it didn’t rely heavily on CGI. The acting is straightforward, and the film focuses on casting people who can deliver strong performances rather than relying on big-name stars. It was also a critical success, with major praise going to its storytelling. The ending leaves enough open for a potential sequel, whether to explore new ideas or revisit the same characters.
0 comments:
Post a Comment